Customer Reviews

January Man [VHS]

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

This movie is not a typical "mystery thriller," at least not in the usual sense of the genre. The characters unravel intriguingly but very fluidly, and it is easy to relate to almost all of them (I bet we can all think of parallels in our own lives.)

Theme-wise it is ostensibly presented as a suspense movie where an ex-cop (Kevin Kline) is re-instated into a homicide detective role to solve a brutal murder spree by a NY psychopath. There is an interesting subplot of unrequited romance between Kline's character and his brother's (who is commissioner of police) wife. Kline's artist friend, his new girl friend (the Mayor's daughter), and in fact the Mayor himself -- are all amusing characters. But Kline is clearly the pivot of the movie, he turned what many might consider a very below standard screenplay and turned it into a very keepable film.

The cinematography is neat, the dialog entertainingly scattershot and the movie flows with a very good pace. Most people who revile this under-rated but actually very watchable movie do so because it doesn't fit any Hollywoodesqe molds. It is not a suspense movie alone (clearly, to me, it didn't make any overt attempts to be) -- it is also a very adult and somewhat intellectual but credible study of multiple intertwined characters.

The ending surprised me a bit, but I don't think it was chinsy or overdone. It was probably supposed to try and imitate real life and I'd say it did so.

And with that kind of a price tag, this is definitely a steal. Recommended!

I ordered this, because I don't remember seeing it in Finland and because of the great actors. I mean: Kevin Kline, Harvey Keitel AND Alan Rickman! What more could a grown woman want?

The movie uses clichés with a twist: a heroic but difficult cop (Kline) who has been unjustly sacked and is now a fireman, but - being a genius in his work - gets called back to solve mysterious killings. Of course, the police department is against the idea. But there is no choice and he starts to work in his own terms, for instance bringing along an assistant, a moody artist (Rickman in a part where he speaks very little, which is always a shame). Brother (Keitel) isn't too thrilled either, because they still love the same woman (Sarandon). Mayor's daughter (Mastrantonio) gets sucked in, because her friend is murdered.

The movie has all the elements of comedy, humour, suspense and good actors and actresses - and still it misses something. Kline is fine as always and even in this small part Rickman makes an impression and it's hard to point out any flaws - but still it doesn't work as well as it could have.

Anyway, the movie is entertaining, not bad at all. Harmless fun with a couple of original jokes. Kline's cooking is very odd and Rickman's use of models even more personal.

This movie got savaged (and continues to be) when it first came out. I think that with all the talent involved, people were expecting something a lot more... mainstream. This is one of those oddball detective/crime thrillers a la The Long Goodbye or Trixie that just doesn't fit in anywhere. It blends genres together and this bugged a lot of people who just wanted a by-the-numbers story.

Everyone in the cast is fantastic but the real standout, for me, is Alan Rickman cast totally against type as the slightly effeminate artiste (and computer genius), Ed. Rickman gets most of the best lines and steals every scene he's in. He and Kline play well off each other and it's a shame this film tanked because I'd have loved to see more adventures with these two.

The DVD is a real disappointment. No extras. Nothing! Just dumped unceremoniously on DVD. Oh well. At least it's letterboxed!

sure, no car chases, no explosions....but an interesting plot with about a half-dozen twists...i first saw this film in spain in 1989....(in english, somehow) and have probably viewed it twice a year since. scores of friends (and my now grown son and daughter) have also found themsleves enamored of it.
rickman's turn is a far cry from his 'die hard' and 'quiqley down under' roles; kline is brilliant kline....no wonder he finally got an ocar for 'a fish called wanda'....allieo is just great, and steiger is, well, vintage stieger.
harvey keitel is semi-controlled sibling rivalry entrapped..the tension is palpable...susan sarandon is the tortured fatale that holds it together; mastrantonio's 'in a hundred years, we'll all be dead' has been my mantra ever since.
the tape's finally worn out. i gladly paid for the dvd...
would someone get me a cup of coffee, please? preferably an espresso?

I became reacquainted with "January Man" recently and forgot what a good film it is. With Oscar winners, Kevin Kline, Susan Sarandon and an excellent supporting cast including Rod Steiger, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Danny Aiello and Harvey Keitel and a great script, director Pat Connor had an easy task of producing a great film. With a touch of comic relief between the suspense and the strong rivalry between brothers (Kline and Keitel), Keitel is forced by the Mayor (Steiger) to rehired his brother (Kline) as the lead investigator to find and stop a serial killer. Time is running out and the suspense builds. Like the Bone Collector, the January Man will challenge the viewer until the end. You'll find the January Man more challenging to solve than most mysteries, but keep in mind the clues are in front of you, including its title. If you enjoy a good mystery, January Man is worth the time. Rated R for a sex scene, brief nudity and violence.

This is an under-rated murder mystery with interesting, quirky characters and a very inventive solution. Kevin Kline and Alan Rickman turn in excellent performances, especially Rickman doing a dropout misfit computer expert turned artist. As a mystery buff, I found the story and most of the characters intriguing, but I also found the language aggravating. Every single character except Rickman's uses foul language constantly, and after a while this actually gets in the way of the story. It's like someone thought it would make the whole thing more realistic and less of a comedy, but it misfired. Still, it's well worth seeing; a witty, original character-driven mystery-comedy.

Though I bought the movie because I'm a HUGE Alan Rickman fan, I found the movie thoroughly enjoyable. Kevin Kine of course is wonderful, and very amusing. Alan Rickman is at his best as usual, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio portrays a fairly brave, courageous character willing to assist Kline's character to catch the killer at the risk of her life.

With a touch of suspense, this movie moves along at a comfortable pace, and I must say that my favorite scene is the "stairwell scene". Absolutely hilarious!

If you haven't seen The January Man I thoroughly recommend it. The only flaw? Not enough Alan! (But, does any movie he's in ever have enough of him? Not bloody likely!).

Ok. After having read other's reviews of this movie and their thorough dislike of it because it was "overacted, bad, etc.", I must state that this movie is not supposed to be serious. It is a COMEDY. A semi-stupid comedy, but comedy nonetheless. I found that for what type of movie it is supposed to be, it works very well. It has a good cast (lots of stars), it doesn't take itself overly seriously, and it's just plain FUNNY!

To those that found it disappointing? Perhaps you miss the point. It's not supposed to be a thriller and it's not supposed to be taken seriously as a thriller. In my opinion, the "bad acting" by the cast is perhaps supposed to be that way.

As I said previously, I enjoyed the film quite a bit, and I still recommend it for Alan fans and for anyone looking for a comedy that is semi-stupid and satiristic (sp?) of "serious suspense movies".

Take the "bad acting" with a grain of salt while watching this movie, lol. The actors certainly do!

This is one of those movies that holds your attention precisely because you are anticipating, and keep waiting for it to get better, but it just never quite comes together. Sort of like watching a drunk try to put a key in a lock- it can be annoying and yet entertaining at- the same time. And in that odd, uncomfortable emotion is the strange appeal of this work. Rod Stiger has one scene, wherein he expresses displeasure with some of Klein's antics, that is so superbly, "over-acted," I found it riveting. This movie is not for everyone, for sure, but if you can appreciate the eclectic and obtuse caricatures as being entertainment, you might just love it. If you are expecting "A Fish Called Wanda," don't bother.

If you're like me, ever seeking ALAN RICKMAN films, like they're the Holy Grail... then, this film will be a good addition to your collection. We couldn't ask for a better cast and story line. There's a good mix of sarcasm, intimidation, and deceit in this comedic approach to serial killings. It's a dated film, but still offers the level of entertainment we're accustomed to now. Alan Rickman's character wasn't on the screen as much as I would've liked. As he's articulated in the past, there is no such thing as a small part... only small actors. He delivers THE BEST as always.

I watched this film for the first time because of Alan Rickman, and I can happily say that I wasn't disappointed. This film is meant to be a comedy-not to be taken as seriously as some people who have reviewed this film have done. (In response to one reviewer-no, I am NOT a friend of nor am I a family member of the filmmaker). The only thing that I was disappointed about was that there were so few scenes with Ed. Being Nick's sidekick and someone who helps him solve the case (along with Bernadette), I would have thought we would have seen him more - I just can't get enough of his milky baritone voice :)